Friends,
God has called us to walk together, as blessed companions, guided into the vast future by the Holy Spirit. I've believed that for a while.
From the moment I first glanced the search profile, back in Fall of 2022, I sensed that God had something good in mind for us. When I arrived at Christ the King for the first time, in April of last year, to spend time with the Profile and Search Committee, I could feel a future. During the ABC tour, when I first met many of you, the welcome was rich and the air alive with possibility.
And then, on Election Day, September 9 of 2023, I received a phone call from my meet-and-greet shepherd, Sue Ellen Ruetsch. She greeted me: "Hello, Bishop." And in a moment, my life changed forever.
Since early January, I have been in the diocese, on the ground, on the road. The learning curve is, admittedly, steep; the questions and requests plentiful; the challenges are many and varied; and the meetings are usually back-to-back. And I feel tremendously blessed to be called by God, and by you, to this holy work. I feel alive in a new way, the way one feels when one is exactly where one is meant to be.
After months of being your Bishop-elect, I am exceedingly pleased to now be your Bishop. February 24 is a day that will forever be impressed on my soul. The event was soaked through with holy love and fueled by abundant joy. I could feel your support and your prayers. I treasure the ways in which you have welcomed me into my office.
The gifts I received during the consecration liturgy will forever serve as reminders of your love and trust. No matter where I am, when I look down at my ring, I will think of you and our bond.
I am touched by your care. I am humbled by your embrace of me, my ministry, and my family. I am strengthened by your companionship. And I am consumed by hope for the future God has in store for our diocese.
Your Bishop,
